Read and weep > > SOAPBOX > > By > > Don Mayer CEO Small Dog Electronics > > > > I ordered seeds for my garden last weekend while I watched the snow pile > > up on the garden. I was amazed at the lack of heirloom and/or untreated > > seeds. Hybrid and treated seeds used to be the exception, not the rule. > > > > Start Soapbox > > > > With the big food companies buying heavily into genetically modified (GM) > > foods, our food supply is being compromised. The discovery of GM corn that > > was not approved by the FDA for human consumption in products ranging from > > corn chips to corn dogs should get you thinking about what you are > > eating. The impact of GM foods and the extensive use of pesticides and > > herbicides for crops and antibiotics in meat production may not be fully > > understood or felt for generations. > > > > I looked at a list of common foods that contain genetically modified > > organisms (GMO) and was shocked at the number of mainstream foods that > > contain them. Here's just a sample: > > > > Enfamil, Isomil and Similac baby formulas > > Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix > > Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips > > Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix > > Pepperidge Farms breads > > Thomas' English Muffins > > Wonder White Sandwich Bread (big surprise here!) > > Kellogg's Pop Tarts > > Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars > > Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffles > > General Foods: > > Cheerios > > Wheaties > > Total > > Corn Chex > > Lucky Charms > > Kix > > Kellogg's: > > Frosted Flakes > > Corn Flakes > > Special K > > Raisin Bran > > Rice Krispies > > Mounds > > Almond Joy > > York Peppermint Patty > > Kit-Kat > > Reese's Peanut Butter Cups > > Mr. Goodbar > > M&Ms > > Snickers > > Three Musketeers > > Milky Way > > Carnation Hot Cocoa Mixes > > Heinz & Del Monte Ketchup > > Hellman's Real Mayonnaise > > Open Pit BBQ sauces > > Oreos > > Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies > > Ritz Crackers > > Triscuits > > Wheat Thins > > Stoned Wheat Thins > > Coca Cola > > Sprite > > Pepsi > > 7-Up > > Dr. Pepper > > Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail > > V8 Tomato Juices > > Campbell's, Healthy Choice, and Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup > > > > This is just a small sample of the list. There is also a list of foods > that > > do not contain GMOs and of companies that have active programs to > > make their foods GMO-free. You can view the entire list at: > > > > http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppersguide/ > > > > What is particularly irritating about this situation is that the FDA > > declined to require food companies to clearly label foods containing GMOs. > > A GMO is a plant, animal, or microorganism that is created by means that > > overcome natural boundaries. Genetic engineering involves crossing species > > which could not cross in nature. For example, fish genes have been > inserted > > into strawberries and tomatoes. While the FDA insists that foods produced > by > > genetic engineering are the same as foods from traditional breeding, their > > own scientists reported that, "the processes of genetic engineering and > > traditional breeding are different and...they lead to different risks." > > > > The most widely grown GMO crops are soybeans, corn, canola (rapeseed), and > > cotton. Almost all GMOs grown today are in one of two varieties: "insect > > resistant" and "herbicide tolerant" crops. The insect resistant crops are > > also known as "plant pesticides" because the crop is considered (and > > regulated as) a new insecticide. The crop produces an insect toxin as it > > grows - in every cell of the plant, throughout the entire growing season. > > When you eat GMO insect-resistant corn, for example, you are eating a > > pesticide. > > > > Not only do these plant pesticides protect themselves from harmful insects > > by the poison in their modified genetics, but they also have a negative > > impact upon beneficial insects, such as honeybees, that are essential for > > crop pollination. > > > > About 70% of the acreage of GMOs in the U.S. is in "herbicide tolerant" > > varieties. These crops are engineered to withstand direct application of > > toxic weed killers. Previously, a farmer had to be cautious when using > > herbicides because the plant poisons could kill the crop. Now the crop is > > genetically altered so that it will not be harmed by the chemical. This > > means farmers can spray weed killers right on the crop - and it means more > > chemicals on our food. > > > > Monsanto's GM soybean could spread it's herbicide resistance to related > > weeds through normal pollination and cross-breeding, or become a weed > > itself. In both cases, greater use of chemicals would be needed to control > > the resulting "super weeds." Novartis' GM corn carries a built-in > > insecticide. Not only can this kill insects indiscriminately, including > > insects beneficial to crop pest management, it could eventually cause a > > resistance among pests. As weeds and insects are repeatedly exposed to a > > pesticide, they gradually become tolerant to the toxin, leading to pests > > that require heavier doses of pesticide to kill. This only leads to a > > perpetuation of the crop chemical treadmill, where farmers must use more > and > > stronger chemicals to control pests. This means more chemicals in the > > environment, and more damage to nearby plant varieties and to soil > > fertility. > > > > None of the GMO crops on the market today have been engineered for higher > > yield. In fact, a two-year study at the University of Nebraska showed that > > the most widely grown engineered crop, Monsanto's GMO soybean, actually > > yields less than natural soy varieties. Biotech companies like to use the > > argument of feeding more people in their PR. But this subject requires a > > closer look at the causes of hunger. The world currently produces enough > > food to provide every person on the planet with over four pounds of food a > > day. Hunger is the result of poverty and unequal access to food, not a > lack > > of food. > > > > Some people say that genetic engineering is merely an extension of > > traditional breeding and hybrid crop development. This is simply not true. > > Genetic engineering is a new technology that has been developed to > overcome > > the limitations of traditional breeding. Traditional breeders have never > > been capable of crossing fish with strawberries. But > genetically-engineered > > "fishberries" are already in the field. With genetic engineering, these > > types of new organisms can be created and released into the environment. > > > > The awareness of the potential dangers of GM foods has seen a strong > > resurgence in organic farming. It used to be that you had to know a farmer > > or a good health food store to buy organic produce, but now we are seeing > > organic produce sections in major supermarkets, too. Organic produce does > > command a price premium, but farmers producing organic produce are finding > > that there is a willing market for their products. That is translating > into > > more and more acreage being converted to organic sustainable farming > > methods. > > > > I do not think that we are going to stop agribusiness from using GMOs, but > I > > think that our government should, through the FDA, require explicit > labeling > > of foods that contain genetically modified organisms. > > > > What do you think about the growing predominance of genetically modified > > foods? Share them at the Small Dog Soapbox: > > > > http://smalldog.com/go.lasso?go=http://smalldog.com/soapbox.html > > > > End soapbox > >